On April 8th, President Li Xiaolin met with a 5-member group headed by Mr. Franco Terenzi, former Captain Regent and Mr. Teodoro Lonfernini, the Secretary of Tourism and Sports of San Marino. President Li highly praised Mr. Terenzi’s outstanding contribution to China-San Marino Friendship, and extended her warm welcome to Mr. Teodoro Lonfernini, Secretary of Tourism and Sports, for his first visit to China. The both sides preliminary decided to jointly host China-San Marino Day at Milan World Expo this year.  The guests from San Marino responded actively to President Li Xiaolin’s initiative of holding friendship forums for the European mini countries, and expressed their willingness of planning this forum with the CPAFFC together. Vice President Song Jingwu held a working meeting with the delegation and held a banquet afterwards.

On April 8, CPAFFC President Li Xiaolin hosted lunch in honor of American friends Mr. & Mrs. Dvorchak and their family. President Li expressed her warm welcome to them and expressed her wishes that they would play a role of friendship bridge between China and the U.S., especially China and Iowa. The Dvorchaks thanked the CPAFFC for the great hospitality. Comparing to what they saw 30 years ago when they first came to the country, China has made tremendous and impressive changes. They will continue to carry forward their special ties with China and further their contributions to the friendship between American and Chinese peoples. In 1985, Xi Jinping in capacity of Party Secretary of Zhengding County, Hebei Province, visited Iowa and stayed at the Dvorchaks’ house. During his official visit to the U.S. in 2012, Vice President Xi Jinping made a special trip to Iowa to get together with his old friends including the Dvorchaks that he got acquainted with in his last trip and invited them to visit China. In addition to Beijing, the Dvorchaks will also visit Guilin and Hebei Province.

On the morning of April 8th, President Li Xiaolin attended the meeting between Vietnam’s Communist Party Chief Nguyen Phu Trong and representatives of CPAFFC and Friendly-to-Vietnam Personnel from China at the Vietnam Embassy in Beijing. In her speech President Li extended warm welcome and heartfelt appreciation to Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit to China and attending this meeting. She said, my visit to Vietnam at the beginning of this year left on me a deep impression of the China-Vietnam traditional friendship of “Comrades and Brothers”, which should be enhanced and carried forward by the two sides. China and Vietnam have the same social systems and similar guiding theories. Bearing in mind the mission of peace and development, the two countries should deepen understanding, strengthen cooperation and achieve mutual-benefit and win-win outcome. Mr. Zhang Dewei, former Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam and Vice President of China-Vietnam Friendship Association (CVFA), reviewed the history of China-Vietnam traditional friendship in his speech. Nguyen Phu Trong said, he had a very good meeting with Comrade Xi Jinping yesterday afternoon. The Vietnam’s Communist Party, government and people are grateful for Chna’s long-term assistance and support. Vietnam cherishes the traditional friendship between the two countries and attaches great importance to the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China. The Vietnam side is willing to work together with the Chinese side to promote cooperation based on mutual benefit, properly handle differences and cultivate a peaceful and stable environment for development. Nguyen Phu Trong said, people-to-people friendship is the important foundation of the bilateral relations and he highly valued the contribution made by CPAFFC and CVFA in fostering people-to-people friendly exchanges and cooperation. He hoped that the concerned associations and organizations from two sides should take the 65th anniversary of the diplomatic ties as an opportunity and persist with pioneering and innovative spirit for the enhancement of people-to-people friendship. CPAFFC Vice President Lin Yi, CVFA Vice President Qi Jianguo, Vietnam Ambassador to China H. E. Nguyen Van Tho, attended the meeting together with 80 friendly-to-Vietnam personnel from China and the major accompanying delegates of Nguyen Phu Trong.

On April 7, President Li Xiaolin met with the newly appointed New Zealand Ambassador to China John McKinnon. President Li gave her greetings to Ambassador McKinnon for his second term as the New Zealand Ambassador to China. Presdient Li reviewed the Launching Ceremony of New Zealand-China Mayrol Forum, co-organized by CPAFFC and the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) which took place last Novermber in New Zealand. Both President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister John Key attended the ceremony. She mentioned that the First Mayrol Forum will be held in Xiamen, China on Sep. 7. She also expressed her warm welcome to the mayors from New Zealand to attend the Forum, expecting more extensive and in-depth exchanges at sub-national level between China and New Zealand. Ambassador McKinnon said that he was grateful to meet with President Li again with his new role as the New Zealand Ambassador to China. As the former CEO of the Asia New Zealand Foundation, he highly appreciated the contribution made by President Li as the Honarory Advisior of the Foundation. He promised to follow closely on any progress of the First Mayoral Forum.

President Li Xiaolin met with H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand and attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition of photos taken by Princess Sirindhorn at Capital Museum in Beijing on April 4, 2015. President Li Xiaolin extended best wishes on Sirindhorn’s 60th birthday and spoke highly of her long-time contributions to the Sino-Thai relationship as well as people-to-people friendship exchanges, and regarded her as an old friend of the Chinese people. President Li said that the theme of the exhibition—“Connectivity”, signifies the connection of hearts of people in different countries. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Princess Sirindhorn introduced her photos to President Li while touring the exhibition together. Director Guo Xiaoling of the Capital Museum, former Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Guan Mu, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gen. Thanasak Patimaprakorn, Minister Veera Rojpojanarat of Cultural Affairs and Ambassador to China Theerakun Niyom attended the events.

  President Li Xiaolin and Vice President Song Jingwu met with H.E. Dr. Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, Ambassador of European Union to China, on April 2, 2015. The two sides had in-depth exchange of views on promoting China-EU people to people friendship relations, and agreed to jointly organize a series of activities to celebrate the 40 anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and EU.

President Li Xiaolin and Vice president Song Jingwu met with Mr. Nirj Deva Chairman of EU-China Friendship Group of European Parliament, Honorary Chief Advisor to the Sri Lankan Prime Minister on April 1. The two sides carried out broad and in-depth discussions on hosting celebrations of the 40 anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, promoting the cooperation between China and Sri Lanka in the areas of economic, trade, culture and tourism as well as organizing "One Belt and One Road" exhibitions both in the European Parliament and Sri Lanka. Ms. Zhang Ruoning, Deputy Director of Department of European- Asian Affairs, Ms. Luan Yutao, Deputy Director of Department of Asian - African Affairs attended the meeting.

On April 1st, President Li Xiaolin met with H.E. Ashok K. Kantha, Indian Ambassador to China. Mme. Li briefed Ambassador Kantha about the development situation of the first two batches of Sino-Indian friendship cities and thanked him and the Indian Embassy for their great support in promoting the twinning of friendship-city relations and enhancing exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Indian local authorities. She expressed the willingness to sign the third batch of Sino-Indian friendship-city agreements and hold the Forum of Leaders of the Regions of India and China during Indian Prime Minister Modi’s visit to China in May. She also hoped to sign the MoU between the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the China International Friendship Cities Association during the Forum. Ambassador Kantha spoke highly of CPAFFC’s efforts on developing China-India people-to-people friendship and the local contacts between the two countries. He pointed out that Modi’s visit in May is his first official visit to China since he took office as Indian Prime Minister and the Indian side pays great importance to the visit. Exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Indian local authorities is an important part of the visit. The Indian Embassy will facilitate the signing of the third batch of Sino-Indian friendship-city agreements during Modi’s visit and is willing to help invite Indian Chief Ministers and Mayors to attend the Forum.

On the morining of March 31st, President Li Xiaolin met with and held a baquet for H.H. Prince Saud bin Thenayan Al-Saud, Chairman of Board of Saudi Basic Industry Corporation (SABIC). President Li XIaolin extended her welcome to Prince Saud for his first visit to the CPAFFC, and congratulated him on his speech delivered lately at Boao Forum. She briefed the status and recent important events of the CPAFFC, as well as the people-to-people contact developed by the CPAFFC with the Arabic Countries. She hoped that CPAFFC could strengthen the cooperation with Sabic and deepen the friendly exchanges in the various fields between China and Saudi Arabia and provide the needed assistance for its development in China. Prince Saud highly praised that the CPAFFC has made great contribution to enhancing the understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and people of the world, and safeguarding the world peace with the leadership of President Li Xiaolin. He said, SABIC attaches great importance to the Chinese market and has been doing business in China for over 30 years. It has set up factories in China cooperating with SINOPEC and founded special researching center in Shanghai.  SABIC would like to participate in and support the CPAFFC’s public welfare projects and people-to-people exchanges between the Chinese and Arabic people in various fields including youth, culture and education. He also invited President Li Xiaolin to visit Saudi Arabia at her convenient time. CPAFFC Vice President Lin Yin attended the meeting. SABIC ranked 205th in world’s top 500 published by Fortune. In world’s petrochemical business, SABIC ranks 1st in total assets and annul output. It now has 19 offices, 4 factories, 1 technical research center and over 2000 employees in Greater China. 

At the invitation of Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), Prime Minister Wim Kok, founding President of World Leadership Alliance (WLA) and Former Prime Minister of Netherlands led a delegation of 9 visited China from 21st to 25th , March, 2015. Madam Li Xiaolin met with and hosted a luncheon for the delegation. Madam Li extended gracious welcome to the delegation and recalled her previous contacts with members from WLA with great delight. Madam Li pointed out that CPAFFC would like to further its relations with WLA and enhance people’s friendship as well as safeguard world peace in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual benefit. Madam Li Xiaolin Meets with World Leadership Alliance Prime Minister Wim Kok thanked Madam Li for her time and the luncheon for the delegation. He spoke highly of the important role that CPAFFC played in promoting international cooperation and local governmental exchanges. President Jorge Quiroga invited Madam Li to attend the 2015 Annual Conference of WLA, which will be held in the United States to deepen mutual understanding and win-win cooperation. Group Photo in front of the Peace Palace After the meeting, with the witness from Prime Minister Wim Kok, founding President of WLA and former PM of Netherlands and President Danilo Turk, member of WLA and former President of Slovenia, Madam Li and President Quiroga, Vice President of WLA and Former President of Bolivia signed the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation between CPAFFC and WLA. Signing Ceremony of MOU between CPAFFC and WLA Group Photo after the Signing Ceremony H.E. Ms. Marija Adanja, Slovenian Ambassador to China and Mr. Hao Zhongwei, Deputy Director General of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs, CPAFFC also attended the above-mentioned activities.